"When a woman is in labour..." reflections on John 16:20-22

[Vouthon]

“A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me…Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. When a woman is in labour, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you”

- Jesus Christ, Gospel of John 16:16-19.20-22

Is anybody else struck by how beautiful and moving this image is? Christ compares the pain and sense of bereavement which his disciples will experience when he is dead to a woman giving birth. They will feel as if their entire world has collapsed. But out of this pain, joy will arise. For they will see Christ again, in a little while, and then their hears will rejoice and yet unlike with earthly joy, which is impermanent and which like all earthly things must pass away, this joy will never cease. And Christ compares this to what is potentially the most agonizing experience but the one of out of which arises the greatest earthly joy of all: The birth of a child, the pain of childbirth giving way to the unimaginable joy of having brought a human being into the world, a new life.

I see this verse as not not only poignant and pertinent to the situation at hand - Christ dying and rising again, but rather I see it as extending to all who have lost loved ones. They may be gone from our sight, but we live with the knowledge that in a “little while”, in Divine terms, we will be re-united with them in the afterlife, and our joy will be complete and unfading.

I find this verse so comforting. Anybody else?

I also like the idea that true joy cannot come without being preceded by grief. Is it not only when we have experienced sadness, loss, suffering that we can truly appreciate what truly is “joyous” in life and relish it for all its worth?

 

[centurionguard]

“A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me…Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. When a woman is in labour, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you”

- Jesus Christ, Gospel of John 16:16-19.20-22

Is anybody else struck by how beautiful and moving this image is? Christ compares the pain and sense of bereavement which his disciples will experience when he is dead to a woman giving birth. They will feel as if their entire world has collapsed. But out of this pain, joy will arise. For they will see Christ again, in a little while, and then their hears will rejoice and yet unlike with earthly joy, which is impermanent and which like all earthly things must pass away, this joy will never cease. And Christ compares this to what is potentially the most agonizing experience but the one of out of which arises the greatest earthly joy of all: The birth of a child, the pain of childbirth giving way to the unimaginable joy of having brought a human being into the world, a new life.

I see this verse as not not only poignant and pertinent to the situation at hand - Christ dying and rising again, but rather I see it as extending to all who have lost loved ones. They may be gone from our sight, but we live with the knowledge that in a “little while”, in Divine terms, we will be re-united with them in the afterlife, and our joy will be complete and unfading.

I find this verse so comforting. Anybody else?

I also like the idea that true joy cannot come without being preceded by grief. Is it not only when we have experienced sadness, loss, suffering that we can truly appreciate what truly is “joyous” in life and relish it for all its worth?

Interesting; I guess I never looked at it in that light.

In the Catholic Biblical Haydock Commentary
Matthew Chapter 16 verse 16
haydock1859.tripod.com/id109.html

Ver. 16. A little while, and now you shall not see me, &c. Many expound these words in this manner: that after a little while, you shall not see me, because even to-morrow, I shall be taken from you by death: and again, after a little while, you shall see me, because the third day I shall rise again, and converse with you, till my ascension. St. Augustine gives another interpretation, (tract. 101.) that by the first little while, may be understood, the short time till Christ’s ascension, and by the latter little while, the short time that the apostles were to live in this world; after which they should see, and enjoy Christ for ever in the kingdom of heaven. And this exposition seems to agree better with the following promise. (Witham) — In a few hours, I shall be separated from you, to be delivered up to my enemies, and put to the cruel death of the cross; and after a short time, I shall rise again; then you shall see me in my new state of glory. St. Chrysostom, both Sts. Cyrils, Theophylactus, Euthymius, St. Augustine, and others, interpret this verse differently; thus: Not long hence, I shall be entirely separated from you; you shall not see me, because I shall go to the Father, by my ascension; but you shall see me again, after a short time, at my second coming, to judge the living and the dead. All the time, that shall pass between my ascension, and my second coming, is in the eyes of God only as a moment. For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday, which is past and gone. (Psalm lxxxix. ver. 4.) And the apostle calls all time a moment, a time that soon passes. (1 Corinthians vii. and 2 Corinthians iv.)

I remember something Archbishop Fulton Sheen spoke about on the concern of genuine love you have for someone you profoundly love very close to you be it your wife, husband or family members. Bishop Sheen went on to say that more immense love is bestowed on a loved-one who is departing on a long trip who won’t return for perhaps a long while, than having that same person in your company all the time. Our longing for Jesus Return is really a short time. But really He has never left us abandoned. We have Him with us in every Mass.

 

[po18guy]

And, look at the consolation which follows: (John 16:13):

“I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

There is also a correlation with Mark 13:1-13

"And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another, that will not be thrown down.” And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign when these things are all to be accomplished?” And Jesus began to say to them, "Take heed that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places, there will be famines; this is but the beginning of the birth-pangs. "But take heed to yourselves; for they will deliver you up to councils; and you will be beaten in synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them. And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you up, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say; but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.And brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.